Aldoata fell.
Having barely regained his senses, he resisted and struggled, but in the end, he was trampled by Taesan. Aldoata cried out, his face filled with fear.
“Wai—” “I don't want to hear it.”
The sword pierced through Aldoata's chest. Coughing up blood, the life faded from Aldoata's eyes.
[Your Soul Rank Ascension has been activated. Strength has permanently increased by 20. Agility has permanently increased by 18. Intelligence has permanently increased by 13. Health has permanently increased by 70. Mana has permanently increased by 20.] [Your Soul Rank Ascension has been activated. You have obtained the Basic Inherited Skill [Werewolf].]
[Your level has increased.]
“Whew.”
Taesan whistled.
It was a truly significant increase.
“Is catching an Adventurer more profitable than catching a Monster?”
[Because what you have is absurd.]
Soul Rank Ascension was a theft of power. Perhaps because it was a Skill that stole everything one had accumulated, catching an Adventurer yielded a greater increase than catching a Monster. On top of that, his level had also gone up.
Considering that one normally leveled up by 1 or 2 after clearing an entire floor, this too was of great value. The Ghost muttered in a questioning tone.
[The Skills you've obtained are generally absurd, but… what kind of Skill is Soul Rank Ascension? Is that even a Skill one should be able to get?]
The Ghost had been utterly astonished by Attack Nullification and Fortitude, but it expressed doubt about Soul Rank Ascension. That was how preposterous a Skill Soul Rank Ascension was. Soul Rank Ascension brought not only Stats but also Skills.
[Basic Inherited Skill: Werewolf] [Mana Cost: 10] [Proficiency: 0%] [Transforms into a werewolf. Currently unable to transform due to a lack of special blood.]
“What's this Skill?”
[You saw it earlier, right? It literally turns you into a werewolf. It's a Skill with both pros and cons, but you probably can't use it right now.]
“Seems like it.”
There was an explanation that he lacked special blood. He tried using it as a test, but it wouldn't activate, as if it were blocked.
[It's an Inherited Skill, so it requires the blood of a noble lineage. You can't get it right away. You’ll be able to use it after going down a bit.]
“A shame.”
As it was a Skill he had never seen before, he was curious about its effects. After all, he could obtain other Skills accordingly. Taesan licked his lips and began to check the rewards from the 13th Floor, which he couldn't do before Aldoata appeared.
It was a ring with small, sharp blades on the outside, which could be used as a sort of Gauntlet.
[Ring of Severance] [Attack Power +5] [The artisan believed that wearing ten of these rings would produce the same effect as a Gauntlet. It would be better to just wear a Gauntlet.]
As the description stated, it was a poorly made piece of equipment, but for Taesan, who had Airak Martial Arts, it was perfect. The rings were worn on all ten fingers, replacing the rings that gave 1 Attack Power. And the Secret Reward.
[You have used ???.]
[You have obtained one Powder of Blessing.]
“Oho?”
Powder of Blessing. An Item that made ambiguous probabilities certain. It was more valuable than mediocre equipment.
Taesan cheerfully stored it in his Inventory. Now, onward to the 14th Floor. This time, he wouldn't go to Lilith.
It was a zombie room, and aside from Materials, there wasn't much to gain.
[14th Floor Quest begins.]
[Defeat the Boss of the 14th Floor and pass through.]
[Reward: Valley Ankle Guards.]
[Secret Reward: ???]
“Greetings.”
He greeted the Dwarf who was waiting at the entrance of the floor as always. The Dwarf stared at him blankly and opened his mouth.
“Did you meet him?”
“Yes.”
“What did you do?”
“I took care of him.”
At the calm reply, the Dwarf smiled.
“Good riddance. They’re useless bastards, so just kill them all.”
“I’ll handle it my way.”
Taesan replied curtly and asked.
“Are you still thinking about it?”
To the implicit question of asking for a Quest of sorts to replace Penalty Play, the Dwarf stroked his chin.
“I have one thing in mind… but it’s currently being adjusted. I'll propose it around the next floor.”
“I see.”
Then he just had to clear this floor quickly and come back. Taesan descended to the 14th Floor. The young man spoke.
“He's dead.”
“Huh?”
The second rank Adventurers, who had been waiting leisurely, were surprised.
“Who's dead?”
“Aldoata. His light went out.”
The young man, tasked with managing the second rank, receives a jewel that allows him to check the survival status of each Adventurer. The young man stared at the jewel with trembling eyes. The brilliant light that had been blazing was gone without a trace, and it had turned into a mere stone.
“Looks like he was careless.”
Someone's words made them nod in agreement. The young man muttered with a strange expression.
“...Is that really it?”
“Isn't it too fast? That idiot must have died without even being able to transform.”
Without transforming into a werewolf, Aldoata was the weakest among them. They thought that he had been careless since it was only the 13th Floor and fought without even transforming. The speed at which the light in the jewel went out also lent weight to that thought.
In a normal battle, even they couldn't win this quickly, so they had no choice but to think that the supremely arrogant Aldoata had been careless.
“Alright! Then I'm next!”
The man whose number was one lower than Aldoata's clenched his fist. Grandly draped in a black Robe, he grinned and prepared himself.
“Tsk. He won't come for me.”
“He’s going to die this time.”
Everyone who knew the power of the man in the Robe gave up their expectations and grumbled. The young man spoke cautiously.
“Don't be careless. He's the one who beat Revebas and Aldoata.”
“Did you forget who I am?”
The man laughed and flapped his Robe.
“I am one who walks the Path of Magic. For me, there is no such thing as carelessness.”
“Are you the arrogant bastard who killed Aldoata and Revebas?”
The man in the Robe said. Taesan didn't answer and kicked off the ground.
[Kang Taesan has activated Acceleration.]
[54 Damage dealt to Giuseppe.]
“Keo-heok!”
His chest pierced in an instant, Giuseppe vomited blood. Hurriedly creating distance, he opened his mouth as if in disbelief.
“You lunatic. Attacking without a word…”
“Why should we talk?”
It was all the same, killing each other anyway.
“You!”
Under the relentless assault, Giuseppe gritted his teeth and took out his Magic Staff.
[Giuseppe has activated Confusion.]
[Judgment unnecessary! Kang Taesan has shaken it off with Indomitable Spirit.]
“Wh-what.”
Crunch.
As he drove his sword in, he thought.
‘A Mage this time, I see.’
A Robe and a Magic Staff. Anyone could see it was a Mage's equipment. As Taesan resisted the Confusion without any trouble, a greatly flustered Giuseppe was struck down just like that.
It was a good thing for Taesan, so he knocked away the Magic Staff and continued to drive his sword in. Belatedly coming to his senses, Giuseppe clenched his teeth.
“Grr!”
[Giuseppe has activated Magic Shield.]
A white barrier enveloped Giuseppe. When it collided with Taesan's sword, a strong Repulsion occurred.
“Oho?”
It was a type of Magic he hadn't seen before. For the first time, interest appeared on Taesan's face.
‘I wonder if creating an opening paid off.’
He could have stuck to him from the moment they engaged and beaten him until he died without ever letting go. But he had deliberately created an opening to get what he wanted. Giuseppe, his face hardened, swung his Magic Staff roughly.
[Giuseppe has activated Madness.]
[Judgment unnecessary! Kang Taesan has shaken it off with Indomitable Spirit.]
“You crazy bastard.”
Giuseppe gritted his teeth. What was that? Shaking off a mental attack with just Mental Strength.
It was something he had never seen or heard of.
‘It means he didn't overcome it by pure luck.’
Giuseppe glared at Taesan with serious eyes. It was understandable that Revebas and Aldoata had been defeated. Although his Defense Power as a Mage was low, to take 50 Damage...
He was not an opponent to be ignored.
[Giuseppe has activated Particle Diffusion.]
Crack, crackle!
Ice particles scattered, bouncing wildly. It was a Magic that showed the intention to restrict movement.
[Giuseppe has activated Frost Arrow.]
[Kang Taesan has activated Frost Arrow.]
“What.”
Giuseppe, who had been confident he wouldn't be flustered, raised his voice. The two Frost Arrows collided, and the one that shattered was Giuseppe's. Taesan's arrow collided with Giuseppe's Magic Shield and exploded.
“What is this!”
Magic!
And not just Basic Magic, but Frost Arrow, a Beginner Magic! On top of that, his own magic had been defeated. It meant the opponent's Proficiency was higher.
‘Impossible!’
Who was he? Even in the lofty Magic Tower, his Talent had been acknowledged, and he was even called a genius that appeared once a decade. Here, he was only permitted the second rank, but that was because the God of Magic hadn't descended upon him, not because he thought he lacked Talent.
But contrary to his expectations, the Talent that the High Council judged Giuseppe to have was precisely the second rank. Such Talent wasn't that amazing here, but Giuseppe didn't know that. But the young kid before his eyes, a kid who hadn't been in the Labyrinth for long, had higher Proficiency than him?
He had a Talent for magic?
‘It can't be!’
Giuseppe's face contorted in firm denial. In reality, Taesan had raised his Proficiency with Points, but for Giuseppe, who didn't know that, it was a shock that shattered his world.
[Giuseppe has activated Lightning Strike.]
Boom.
Lightning struck Taesan. As it was the speed of light, he couldn't avoid it and was hit directly.
‘Yes!’
Giuseppe twisted the corner of his mouth. A proper Mage could react in advance by seeing the Manifestation of magic, but Taesan couldn't. It was when he was thinking that his magic losing was a mere coincidence.
[Kang Taesan's Absolute Nullification of the First Attack has been activated.]
[0 Damage dealt to Kang Taesan.]
“What?”
He let out a sound without realizing it. Giuseppe's eyes were filled with nothing but Confusion.
“...Attack Nullification?”
“Is there such a Magic? How interesting.”
An instant-cast magic. Unlike Frost Arrow or Scorching Orb, it couldn't be dodged. Taesan raised his sword with a joyful expression.
“Let's continue.”
Giuseppe fought desperately. Barely holding onto his fraying mind, he manifested magic. At first, Taesan was pushed back in the battle.
Giuseppe's magic was diverse, and as he had used magic his entire life, it was varied and efficient. It was difficult for Taesan, who was facing magic for the first time, to respond. But Taesan had Stats, experience, and Skills.
As the battle continued, he learned how to deal with magic one by one and pushed back. Finally, Taesan's sword broke the Magic Shield.
“Thanks for that.”
Thanks to him, he understood a little more about how to use magic. Giuseppe let out a hollow laugh.
“No way…”
The sword pierced through Giuseppe.
“He's dead?”
“Huh?”
“Again?”
All of the second rank were flustered. The defeat of Aldoata and Giuseppe felt different. Giuseppe was a master of magic.
Even they couldn't easily deal with his diverse magic, so they thought he would naturally return victorious.
“...Don't tell me he was careless?”
“It's possible if he couldn't use his magic properly. Come to think of it, the Ghost is there too, right? It wouldn't be impossible if it helped from the side.”
But they still didn't think of it seriously. The difference between the 13th and 20th Floors was that great.
“I'm next!”
A boy who still looked young clenched his fist. A person with strong physical power, the expression 'this time for sure' was on everyone's faces.
“I'll be back!”
The boy left with a smile. An hour later, the young man spoke.
“He's dead.”
They were agitated. The middle-aged man who was next in line chuckled and gripped his sword.
“I didn't think it would come to me. I'll take care of it quickly and be back.”
The middle-aged man left. He was a man who had conquered the mercenary world with a single sword, and he had more experience than anyone here. Everyone thought he would be victorious.
Forty minutes later, the young man spoke again.
“...Again.”
They were flustered. The red-haired woman who was next in line hesitated and waved her hand.
“...I'll be back?”
And thirty minutes later, the young man's face contorted. He didn't say anything, but they all realized what the result was.
“...I'm next. Is there really a need to go alone?”
“...Could be?”
“Right. It's just the 13th Floor, so it's strange to get serious. Let's go together.”
They spoke nonchalantly, but their eyes were filled with agitation and Fear. In the end, they decided to go up as a group of five. Their faces as they left were filled with anxiety and confidence.
Everyone thought it was over now. There were five of them. Five 20th Floor Adventurers.
There was no way they could lose. Two hours later. The young man said.
“...They're all dead.”
The jewels lost their light. A silence hung over them.
Quietly.